Coe, Cram Run Fastest 1,500, 800 Races Of Year

September 8, 1986|By Bill Buchalter

British star Sebastian Coe ran the fastest men's 1,500 meters this year, barely missing the world record with a time of 3 minutes, 29.77 seconds in an international track and field meet Sunday in Rietti, Italy. Coe, 30, had nobody to push him over the final 600 meters after Sydney Maree of the United States faded in the final lap. The two had set a sizzling pace through the first 800 meters and appeared to have a shot at the world record of 3:29.46 held by Said Aouita of Morocco. But then Maree lost contact, and Coe, the two- time Olympic gold medalist, had to continue alone. Coe's strong effort highlighted a meet that included: Steve Cram of Britain running the fastest men's 800 meters this year in 1:43.19; Evelyn Ashford of the United States beating East German rival Marlies Gohr in the women's 100 in 10.88, also the fastest of the year; and world record-holder Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria winning the women's high jump at 6 feet 8 1/4. Igor Paklin of the Soviet Union won the men's high jump at 7-9 3/4, best in the world this year, then barely missed clearing 7-11 1/4, which would have bettered his world record of 7-10 3/4.